He was a beautiful lab! I'm so sorry
Last year we lost our yellow lab tragically, unfortunately, in front of my 13 year old daughter. I posted here when it happened and everyone helped me get through the pain and the anger. My husband took my daughter and our lab on a hike (which I didn't know or I would have kept our lab home) and he died on the mountain (from the heat).
I couldn't go downstairs, couldn't make dinner I was devastated and trying to heal my family without trying to stay angry. My husband was besieged with his guilt. He was only 4. To make matters worse, they had to leave him on the mountain over night because it was getting dark and my daughter was traumatized that the authorities were worried about her. I heard her crying in the shower for an hour. It took her weeks to finally tell me what she saw. The other hikers walking by, a lady tried to take her away, a biker took a picture. It was horrible.
Husband, son and his friend and a volunteer hiked back up the next day at 4:00 am to bring him home. I just about lost it when I heard him warn the boys he may not be there or animals may get to him. I waited in tears all day. Thankfully, he was untouched and they brought him home and we have his ashes which my daughter keeps in her room by her bed. Thankfully, the nurse at the hospital said he looked good and they would clean him up and I could come in and say goodbye. He looked like he was just sleeping but I cried for him to wake up and come home.
I couldn't take the quietness of the house, the sadness for my daughter who wouldn't sleep in her room because she sleep with him there, she moved into my son's room who went to college.
We waited 6 months and then found a Golden Retriever breeder. They had the pups on a live web cam so we could watch them all day. Then we got to pick one out and she put a purple collar on him and we would watch him even more.
He's beautiful and so sweet and cuddly. And I smile when I see a fur ball. I have someone to talk to all day long again.

Needless to say, he sure is spoiled. And I told my husband I'd leave him if he took him on a hike

It's so hard.

Some people just don't understand, but a lot of us do!!!